On February 21, the Republicans began an offensive against the 
rebels’ left flank. 
They surrounded Pingarrón Hill, and captured the ford near 
San Martín de la Vega. In this way, they also threatened the enemy’s 
right flank which was stationed on the eastern side of the River Jarama. 
On the 22nd and 23rd, the Republicans continued their advance; 
in spite of the desperate resistance of the rebels, they took the Pingarrón 
Hill, and forced the Fascists to retire two or three kilometres along the 
eastern front of the Jarama. 
During these days, the fiercest fights took place for the possession 
of Pingarrón Hill, where the rebels left more than a thousand killed 
and wounded, when they finally retreated. 
On February 27, when the Republican forces launched another coun- 
ter-attack, the initiative finally passed out of Fascist hands and they 
were forced on the defensive. 
The February battles by the River Jarama had a different character 
from all those that had been fought previously. On both sides, consider— 
able forces confronted each other. For the offensive, the rebels con- 
centrated from about 25,000 to 30,000 picked men, of whom at least 
10,000 were Germans and Italians. 
The average depth of the front per kilometre reached 1,000 men, 
and was sometimes as high as 2,000 and more. 
The fighting was fierce and sustained – both sides fought savagely 
for each foot of ground. Lastly – the battles were of a prolonged 
character – at month of almost uninterrupted fighting — and were a 
severe test for both sides. 
After this month of merciless struggle the Fascists could hold only 
a zone with merely twelve kilometres front and from three to five kilo- 
metres in depth on the eastern side of the River Jarama. 

Later events on the Jarama front proved the correctness of the forego- 
ing analysis. On a few occasions the Fascists attempted local offensi- 
ves, but never again could they continue their advance. Just one year 
after the February battles, the original lines are maintained at Jarama. 
The following pages give graphic accounts of the fighting in these 
historical battles for the Madrid-Valencia road. 

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